Page 56 - ELT_1st July 2020_Vol 373_Part 1

A30 EXCISE LAW TIMES [ Vol. 373

Some bids in which Chinese companies were roped in as partners by an
Indian company in the roads sector have been cancelled recently, including one
in Nagpur.
The Government has already reserved supply contracts of up to ` 200
crore for local producers.
The Government is likely to revisit these criteria to ensure wider partici-
pation by domestic companies, another official said.
“There is a growing concern in the Government about overdependence
on external supply chains concentrated in a single country especially in crucial
segments such as pharmaceuticals or supply of large equipment and machinery
in many crucial sectors, which needs to be cut down,” the official said.
[Source : The Economic Times, New Delhi, dated 19-6-2020]

Government imposes Anti-dumping duty on certain steel
products from China, S. Korea and Vietnam
The Government on 23-6-2020 imposed Anti-dumping duties for five
years on the imports of flat rolled and plated steel or those coated with alumi-
num and zinc alloy from China, Vietnam and South Korea. The duty was im-
posed after the Directorate General of Trade Remedies was convinced that these
countries had been exporting the products to India “below its associated normal
value”. This means the countries were exporting the items at prices lower than
their own markets.
The duty ranges from $ 13.07 to $ 173.10 per metric tonne. In a separate
notification, the Finance Ministry exempted certain products from Customs du-
ties in excess of the 15-50 per cent in-quota tariff rates imposed on them.
[Source : The Indian Express, New Delhi, dated 24-6-2020]

Amid border tension, Chinese consignments face Customs
hurdle at Chennai and Mumbai
Amid the ongoing border dispute between India and China, import con-
signments from the neighbouring country at ports such as Chennai and Mumbai
are learnt to be facing hurdles, with clearances being held up by the Indian Cus-
toms Authorities. The disruption in clearances is reported to have emerged over
the last fortnight, even as there are no written or verbal instructions from the
Customs Authorities or the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (C.B.I.
& C.), three persons aware of the development said.
It is understood that the Customs Authorities have hinted at delays
without citing any specific reason to the importers. A Chennai-based importer
said the Customs officials have advised not to deliver any container that has
arrived from China, even if Out of Charge (OOC) order for clearance has been
issued.
Customs clearance involves several procedures and in case no discrep-
ancy is found in the consignment after examination, then ‘Out of Charge’ order is
issued for the clearance of the goods from the Customs area. A Mumbai-based
industry source said that clearances are being skipped for Chinese consignments,
EXCISE LAW TIMES  1st July 2020  56